


In the darkness there be dragons

by Elisexyz



Series: Whumptober 2019 (Black Sails) [5]
Category: Black Sails
Genre: Canon Compliant, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Introspection, Light Angst, Nightmares, Pre-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-23
Updated: 2019-10-23
Packaged: 2020-12-21 09:49:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 551
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21072911
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elisexyz/pseuds/Elisexyz
Summary: Thomas slips from her fingers.





	In the darkness there be dragons

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the "Muffled scream" prompt in the Whumptober 2019 event.  
  
In which I have Feelings about Miranda. I tend to see her and James (as well as her and Thomas) as platonic life partners, so I tagged accordingly, but there's nothing in the actual fic excluding a romantic interpretation, so you do you.

Thomas slips from her fingers.

She tries to hold onto his shirt, clawing her nails into the fabric, clinging as hard as necessary to grant herself the illusion of having a solid enough grip on him, and he still slips away, gentle words leaving his mouth but not reaching her ears.

Her scream comes out muffled, dying in her throat as tears start spilling and sobs shake her shoulders, and she just wants to know _why, why, why_, he doesn’t deserve this, _she_ doesn’t deserve—

She wakes up with a terribly sore throat and a lingering ache in her stomach, tears burning her eyes even after she has wiped them away. She wonders if she screamed, or if she just aches because she couldn’t.

James lays next to her, on his back and with an arm extended in her direction, and he seems serene enough, not aware of her torments. Either she was silent, or he is exhausted enough not to have noticed the noise.

She quietly sniffles, wiping her cheeks as best as she can and rolling over, so that she can easily shift closer and wrap his arm around her shoulders, settling down with her cheek against his chest.

That stirs him, and he mutters something resembling her name.

She almost tells him that everything is fine, that he can go back to sleep. He is always carrying so much suffering that she wouldn’t want to burden him any more, especially not in the dead of night, when, if his dreams are kinder than the one she just had, he can find some peace.

Yet, the words won’t come out, they drown right alongside her scream, and fresh tears build up in her eyes instead.

“I need you to always come back home,” she chokes out, her fingers clasping his shirt, fearing that invisible hands are already starting to pull him away, slowly enough that she can’t yet see it.

He appears to be thrown at the request, or perhaps he is just too sleepy to truly follow the conversation, but it doesn’t take him too long to vow, his voice thick: “Of course.”

She knows that it is an hollow promise, that he can’t possibly know that, that every time he sets foot outside of Nassau there are a thousand ways he could meet his end—yet, for a moment, that helps. To know that at least he _wants_ to come home to her.

“Thank you,” she sniffles, curling a little more on herself and shivering as he brings his hand up to her hair.

She is fairly sure he fell back asleep rather quickly, his regular breaths slowly rocking her into relaxing, though her fingers refuse to let go of his shirt.

She chases away the thought of Thomas, of death taking him when he was alone and miserable, trying to hold onto the hope that he is somewhere better, thankful that she and James are both safe. Thomas, wherever he is, must be alright now. James is still there, with her, she can feel him. She holds onto Thomas’ smile, she imagines his fingers running through her hair, she revels in the warmth of James’ very real embrace, and somehow she finds it within herself to smile.

When she closes her eyes, this time there’s peace.

**Author's Note:**

> This story is part of the [LLF Comment Project](https://longlivefeedback.tumblr.com/llfcommentproject), which was created to improve communication between readers and authors. This author invites and appreciates comments, including: 
> 
>   * Short comments
>   * Long comments
>   * Questions
>   * “<3” as extra kudos
>   * Reader-reader interaction
> 
> If you don’t want a reply, for any reason, feel free to sign your comment with “whisper” and I will appreciate it but not respond!


End file.
